Klipsch speaker choices

I won't even comment, as to the immature response to me. Enjoy ! MrD.

To add....Tubes and Klipsch were mean't to be...oh yes....

I just wanted to add my thoughts on this being a Klipsch Hertiage owner for 30 yrs starting with my Khorns and Hersey II's.

As someone mentioned the Klipsch forums is a wealth of information and good deals in the Garage Sale section. I have been a Heritage member there for 20+ yrs, there are alot of great people there to help in any way they can. They throw one hell of a party in Hope every couple of years for the Pilgrimage.

I have even sold Klipsch when I dabbled in the audio business part time way back.  One thing about Klipsch, people either love them or hate, no down the middle. I dislike their subs, to boomie for my taste, great for movies, lousy for music.

 I sold a pair of original RF7 on a Saturday and the guy was back by Tuesday complaining they actually hurt his ears, and he was not alone with that sentiment. He actually settled on Monitor Audio Golds more of a musical speaker line. Klipsch are slam in your face loud but I also love the musical soundstage they throw at you when you listen to a live recording, oh yes, strings here, horns there, and percussion in the back. To me there is no better speaker at doing the live soundstage.  PWK was more than just an Engineer who believed lamp cord was just fine for speaker wire and $10K cables made him laugh.

I was aware the day Klipsch announced the end of the Heritage line in 2000, I'm not kidding, there was such a revolt on their website forum board, it was a wild time. 

That day I went to my local Dealer and ordered a pair of LaScala's thinking no way in hell would I get a pair, especially up to Canada. In 6 months time he calls me. I got 1pr out of the last 20 that were built of the LaScala in Hope with serial #'s 0001/0002 which I was told was yr 2000, the last year of production and they sit new in their original boxes open to air now and then, less than 1 hrs playtime, my girls...ha... 

And that's my brush with greatness...I did meet Johnny Cash in an airport once...

I would look at the Klipsch site for a used pr of Cornwalls or even cheap LaScalas if your state side. New in that range the Forte III's are nice, I have original Forte's and use them in a seperate room close to your size, abit smaller for 2 channel. 

Cheers and good hunting. 

I’ve heard all of the speakers helomech mentions...a couple of ’em extensively, and I still maintain that Heresy IIIs have mids that utterly give up nothing to those brands, and in fact I’ll argue that in terms of lifelike tonal qualities and realism

LMAO! Uh, no apparently you haven’t, or your auditory memory failed you  miserably in those assessments. Compare a Stirling Broadcast LS3/6, Maggie 0.7, KEF LS50, Vandy 1Ci, or Spatial M4 Turbo S (list goes on) back-to-back with H-IIIs and you’ll realize how colored the Heresy midrange really is. While I agree with Mr. Decibel that there are resonance problems with the horns and cabinets, adding constrained-layer bituminous pads (Dynamat) does little to remedy it IME. I thought I detected some improvement at first (the all too common placebo effect), but careful A/B comparisons with my other speakers revealed that any improvement was minute. The midrange is still polluted with resonances.

I’ll agree with you that Heresy IIIs manage to create that "live" sensation quite well, but I think that’s only because most live performances are amplified through horn-loaded PA speakers.

The ironic thing here is I have no horse in this race. Like you, I enjoy H-IIIs, but unlike you, I don’t consider them end-game speakers, nor do I consider them a great value at MSRP, especially after their recent price hike. If anything, I should be extolling the virtues of H-IIIs in hopes of getting a good price when I eventually sell my pair. But alas, in the interest of the greater good of the hobby, I prefer honesty in sharing my assessments. Again, I never said the H-III is a bad speaker. I consider them great speakers in the context of what they do well, and the price they can be bought for secondhand.

Helo, I appreciate your response. Unlike you, I do accept, and appreciate, that not everyone listens the same, uses the same " references " when listening to recorded music, and that each individual, determines what it is that " they are after ", in a sound system. I am happy for you, that you have found a loudspeaker you are happy with....It is about time, after the merry go round you have been on. You are not alone, on this merry go round. I have heard some EP speakers in my past, and " I " do not like the design, for " what I want ". I am also in a home, without connecting walls, to neighbors, and have a room that is acoustically pretty nice. This is important to me, to have a nice room, as much as the equipment, otherwise, headphone listening is the way to go. I appreciate that my system, and the environment, can easily reach musical peaks above 100 db, as this is critical, to me, for realistic music interpretations, of what is on my recordings, so I may connect with the emotional content of the composers, and the players, on every genre of recording I am playing. I do not listen seriously at 75 db peaks, although I could. And the room does not get in the way of this. I have been around live, unamplified music, much of my life, and horn speakers, all of my life. Live, unamplified music, is what I use to judge systems by. Nothing like it, and I have come to a realization, that nothing will. Recordings are the limiting factor. However, my buddies and I can plug in a mixer, with mics and guitars, and use my Lascalas for this purpose. I have owned many models of design, by many manufacturers, and have set up more systems, than you will ever know. This has lead me, to simply know what I like. Am I wrong ?.....If you think so, you are the one that is wrong. And yes, it you go back to your recent Advent experience, you were pretty adamant about this pair of speakers being the holy grail. And saying they were " superior " to a new set of Vandy 2s ". Actually, they are not, but " you " thought so. You also claimed they were better than some Monitor Audios you had, and others I do not recollect. So when you wake up, realizing that people differ from you, in the " sounds " and musical experiences they are looking for, I will listen to your words. But, as long as you make comments such that you do, I will simply see you as a " nose up in the air ", pompous, and pretend know it all, because what you think you know, you really don’t. Have a nice day. There is no further need to communicate with me. MrD.

Mr. D,
 I’m sorry that both your reading comprehension and hearing ability have begun to fail you, but I understand that’s a common issue in old age.

My primary reference comes from decades of mixing hundreds of live concerts by a very wide range of musicians. I own "current and up to date" gear from my hifi rig to piles of professional gear, home recording things, musical instruments all over my house, and various monitors the like...I can say with certainty that Heresy IIIs do not have "somewhat of an old school sound"...maybe old versions do, but not these. Crisp, accurate, coherent sound from a classic single ended tube amp sounding utterly like a current state of the art system, and I can listen to other stuff at nearby "salons' like Goodwin's...those rarely impress to a degree that would make me  doubt what I have in my listening room.

Helo, I appreciate your response. Unlike you, I do accept, and appreciate, that not everyone listens the same, uses the same " references " when listening to recorded music, and that each individual, determines what it is that " they are after ", in a sound system. I am happy for you, that you have found a loudspeaker you are happy with....It is about time, after the merry go round you have been on. You are not alone, on this merry go round. I have heard some EP speakers in my past, and " I " do not like the design, for " what I want ". I am also in a home, without connecting walls, to neighbors, and have a room that is acoustically pretty nice. This is important to me, to have a nice room, as much as the equipment, otherwise, headphone listening is the way to go. I appreciate that my system, and the environment, can easily reach musical peaks above 100 db, as this is critical, to me, for realistic music interpretations, of what is on my recordings, so I may connect with the emotional content of the composers, and the players, on every genre of recording I am playing. I do not listen seriously at 75 db peaks, although I could. And the room does not get in the way of this. I have been around live, unamplified music, much of my life, and horn speakers, all of my life. Live, unamplified music, is what I use to judge systems by. Nothing like it, and I have come to a realization, that nothing will. Recordings are the limiting factor. However, my buddies and I can plug in a mixer, with mics and guitars, and use my Lascalas for this purpose. I have owned many models of design, by many manufacturers, and have set up more systems, than you will ever know. This has lead me, to simply know what I like. Am I wrong ?.....If you think so, you are the one that is wrong. And yes, it you go back to your recent Advent experience, you were pretty adamant about this pair of speakers being the holy grail. And saying they were " superior " to a new set of Vandy 2s ". Actually, they are not, but " you " thought so. You also claimed they were better than some Monitor Audios you had, and others I do not recollect. So when you wake up, realizing that people differ from you, in the " sounds " and musical experiences they are looking for, I will listen to your words. But, as long as you make comments such that you do, I will simply see you as a " nose up in the air ", pompous, and pretend know it all, because what you think you know, you really don’t. Have a nice day. There is no further need to communicate with me. MrD.

Klipsch offer a unique sound as do many speaker brands. I have listened to many a speaker brand over the years and have enjoyed the differences in sound reproduction. Klipsch Heritage excite the listening experience to a more live and visceral sound reproduction. This sound is not for everyone, but if you like the sound of a live performance and the immediacy of it than I would say get you some Klipsch Heritage speakers. Yes they have somewhat of an old school sound, perhaps that's why in my 52 years in this hobby I go back to Klipsch every time. There is a reason this brand has been around for so long they continue to evolve their basic principles of sound reproduction. 

Hey..."Mr. D" guilted me into damping my mid horns and it was a fun and cheap mod that made 'em sound somewhat cleaner and was worth it, so THANKS "D"...I've heard all of the speakers helomech mentions...a couple of 'em extensively, and I still maintain that Heresy IIIs have mids that utterly  give up nothing to those brands, and in fact I'll argue that in terms of lifelike tonal qualities and realism, they're more to my liking relative to any of those...note that worrying about those pesky "hard earned dollars" would suggest avoiding pricey mini monitors (although I do own a few for near-field mini monitoring) or $3,500 A4s (which I like actually but they're too inefficient, and simply another ho hum "drivers in a box" design) over a pair of sub 2 grand Heresy IIIs, which can sound like actual music on 2 watts. I'm starting to sound like Guttenberg but I have no audio brand fanaticism, although nobody makes anything like a Heresy III for me to compare mine to...except...uh...

@mrdecibel 

" there is absolutely no good reason in buying a Klipsch speaker "....from the guy who thought, and probably still does ( and not so long ago ), that original Advents were the best there was, regardless of cost....I take what Helo says, with a single grain of salt.....however, he is, as all are, entitled to opinions. Enjoy ! MrD.

Please show me where I said Original Advents are/were the best there was/is, regardless of cost. I've never once made such a statement on Audiogon or anywhere else. I have, however, stated that in an A/B comparison with $3K Vandersteen 2CE Sig IIs, I preferred my NEW LARGE ADVENTS.  Please don't misquote me. Further, it was you who influenced me to perform the Heresy III damping mods, which resulted in zero net improvement - a fantastic waste of time and money. So maybe it is your words that should be taken with salt.

Lastly, have a listen to a pair of speakers with an truly exceptional, clean midrange, something like the Spendor A4, a Stirling Broadcast, or an ATC monitor, and you'll realize the Klipsch Heritage line needs more than some damping material to do away with inherent design weaknesses. They're certainly not the worst speakers out there. I still listen to mine, but over the last couple years I've found much better value elsewhere. I'm inclined to share my honest opinions and experiences so that others may achieve better sound for their hard-earned dollars. Unlike some here, my statements are not born out of brand fanaticism. 

I don't think Heresy IIIs have a particular tonal response...horns are often more "immediate" sounding because of their efficiency and that's a good thing, but my experience with these things indicates they're somewhat tonally neutral in the sense that nothing jumps out as harsh treble or mids...they're simply coherent and clear, and revealing of whatever's driving them.

mrdecibel, I have appreciated your input over the years while looking for ways to improve my sound system, even beyond speakers, so thought I'd add some clarity on the dampening mod.  I understand some horn and speaker combinations can yield better results for the same mod.  Long throat metal horns like the Altec 811b or RCF H3709 can benefit from dampening (and if using an 811b and the cabinet extends past the sides of the horn, be sure to use foam on the cabinet like Altec did on the Model 19). 

As mentioned, I replaced the Forte I midrange compression driver with the earlier Heresy's, and at that time I also purchased the Heresy horns, model K-701.  The driver was a construction quality and sonic improvement.  However, I was surprised that the earlier K-701 horns lacked much of the outside molded webbing for structural support compared to the late 1980s versions in the Forte I (and I assume Heresy speakers of that timeframe.)  Tapping them showed a marked difference in ringing and sustain with the webbed horns obviously being better damped. 

So I kept and applied damping material to the webbed horns. Also, as mentioned, made sure the horn gasket was in place and the horn properly tighten to the baffle, something far more important.  

For me, with this speaker, the other earlier performed mods were more noticeable improvements.  The "no appreciable difference" would have been based on that.  It may have also been because of additional work on the cabinets, like having them properly sealed, etc., had also already been done.

However, I appreciate that the damping material could play a large roll in the results.  I used 1/4" Dynamat dense foam sound deadener because I had very good results when used to quite interiors of classic cars.  All of the horn's outside surface area, including in between the webbing, was covered.  How does that compare to your method?

As far as the sound of Klipsch speakers, or any high efficiency horn loaded speaker combination like older Altecs, part of the enjoyment is the particular sound and dynamic range they give.  If that's what the original poster prefers, great, then follow that path and include tubes electronics to make the most of it.  To each their own, but remember that most albums of any type of music in the 1960s and 1970s were mixed listening through 2-way monitors with horns by Altec, and were good enough for The Beatles and Mr. Martin.  (Not trying to start a debate of point source studio monitors vs. loudspeaker).

" there is absolutely no good reason in buying a Klipsch speaker "....from the guy who thought, and probably still does ( and not so long ago ), that original Advents were the best there was, regardless of cost....I take what Helo says, with a single grain of salt.....however, he is, as all are, entitled to opinions. Enjoy ! MrD.

(BTW, I also dampened the horns and did A/B comparison with mono source and heard no appreciable difference - just be sure the horns have there gaskets and are screwed tight to the baffle.)

Same here. Spent a whole day damping the horns of my Heresys with bitumous pads. Fired them up and they were as colored as ever. I've intended to remove the material as I actually find myself enjoying them less after that mod. 

For anyone that can afford the space necessary for Spatial's open-baffles, there is absolutely no good reason in buying a Klipsch speaker, especially at their current price points. I only keep my H-IIIs around because they can still sound good when placed close to walls and are stealthy in terms of the room decor. But if I listen to them following a session with my Spendors or Maggies, their coloration/resonance is almost too much to bear.

I am not understanding, those that have dampened the mid and tweeter horns, and have not heard improvements, let alone, differences. Early on, the metallic horns were nasty, as they " rang ", and the later poly plastic horns, also have some resonance issues. I have performed hundreds and hundreds of damping mods, for myself, and others, and never had a situation, where a difference, of improvement, was not noticeable, and not appreciated. Not just Klipsch, btw.....cabinets, as well......Long live Klipsch.....

Edit: To make one of my statements more specific and accurate regarding tweeters and midrange compression drivers and horns in the Heresy and Forte being the same, that is specifically for the Heresy I - III and the Forte I models.  Forte II use a different midrange horn and passive radiator, which some prefering the I vs. the II sonically.  The Forte III, as I understand it are slightly modified II's.  

If you like DIY projects, try a pair of Forte I's with Bob Crites crossovers, (or consider ALK crossovers), Crites titanium tweeter diaphragms, and an earlier (1970s in my case) Heresy midrange compression driver/diaphragm which were of higher construction/sound quality.  All were individual improvements to add depth and clarity while removing some of the "edgy" sound you may be referring to.  Total investment for the speakers in excellent oak cabinets was right at $1000 a few years ago, besting anything I've heard in that price range.  Pre amp and power amp (35 watts) are tubes, which have always provided a warmer sound than solid state for these high efficiency speakers.  At least have a tube pre amp in the chain.

(BTW, I also dampened the horns and did A/B comparison with mono source and heard no appreciable difference - just be sure the horns have there gaskets and are screwed tight to the baffle.)

This provided very good near field listening up to moderately loud listening in an open floor plan listening area with typical curtains, upholstered furniture, etc.  As others have said, the Forte's larger cabinet will provide a noticeably deeper bass than the Heresy and the passive radiator system they use is very good for tight bass, even compared to other speakers their size.  Tweeter and midrange compression drivers and horns are the same for Heresy and Forte with some crossover differences due to woofer crossed over higher in Heresy.

Then moved these modified Fortes to a 13' x 21' dedicated listening room with pine walls, drywall ceiling and some rugs on the floor.  Much more shrill and "edgy," with a smeared bass and loss of instrument placement, especially as the volume was turned up, compared to the first room mentioned.  Room treatments (absorption) including bass traps in all corners, first and second reflection points on wall and ceiling treatment above listening area now has them sounding better than ever with rich tones, open sound stage and all that.  The reflection point panels made the most difference taming the "edgy" sound.  And they sound great with everything from classical, jazz, blues, to well recorded rock (well recorded/engineered etc. being key here).

So room treatments can make a very big difference for any speaker depending on what type of room setting you have, so can be the best starting point.  Good luck finding what you're looking for.

I use a Dennis Had 12wpc or so (depending on output tubes) amp with Heresy IIIs and they sound amazingly good with 2 REL subs (I had the subs before the Heresy IIIs). The Had amps are sole new only on Ebay and are in various styles, from $1200 or so to maybe 2 grand for a hand wired masterpiece. Note that the relative smallness (or shortness anyway) is a key feature of Heresy IIIs and one that I like...they’re far less physically obtrusive than Fortes and Cornwalls, and sound at least similar (from the mids up anyway). I heard the new Cornwalls recently and they’re a great sounding speaker but man...some largeness ya got there...also worth noting is the price...my Heresy III "Capitol Records Edition" (!) were $1500 new including shipping a couple of years ago (a great deal I know...still...) but Fortes are 4 grand a pair and Cornwalls are around 6...that’s a large difference, and likely worth it, but in a different league really.

The RF series are good for home theater and occasional two channel listening.  The RF7s and RF83 will play loud and will rock, but there are much better speakers out there for not much more.  If you want speakers that will play loud and be more laid back and sound better than the RF-3, try to get your hands on some used Legacy Audio speakers.  You can sometimes find Focus 20/20 speakers for around $2000-$2500.  I have not heard the Legacy Audio Classics, but those can be had for less.

disclaimer statement:  to follow is a purely subjective and opinionated conversation (just like everyone else).
However suffice to say there ain’t a lot of love for the RF-3 around here...primarily because despite its “reference”  implication inferred by it’s model name/number...there really isn’t much reference quality about it.  As others have suggested it really was a watered down consumer grade big box store AV type speaker.  As such it was NOT part of the Heritage series which everyone holds in high regard.
And I’m no Klipsch-basher by any means...  I love their Heritage series stuff like all the other guys here.  Which means your Heresy, Chorus, Belle, Forte, Cornwall, Klipschorn......etc.....
And of course,  like what’s also been said said here today, is that proper implementation ie...listening environment and speaker-supporting audio chain should also be executed properly.
I’ll always have and never get rid of a Klipsch Heritage series something,  (be it Forte or Chorus) in my inventory.  But In the interim two years ago I discovered and acquired Tekton Impact monitors, which while a different animal ... they are quite sensitive (like Klipsch) and thereby a joy to listen with my low power class A Pass amplifier.

I have not heard the Cornwall IV, but I owned the Cornwall III.  I prefer Forte III due to its having LESS cabinet resonance.  I even preferred the Heresy III over the Cornwall III because of this reason. (The Heresy would NEED a subwoofer).   That being said, I even sold the Forte III and now use slightly modified Forte II speakers.  I also have a pair of slightly modified Forte I speakers that I rotate in sometimes.  (the mod is Ti tweeters and Crites crossovers on both my Fortes). 

I wonder if the cabinet resonance problem has been addressed on the new Cornwall IV? 

RF-83, only Reference Klipsch Ive seen with 3 8" woofers , that are beasts, 250-1000 W are the power requirements , so power is a must!!!

If you have the space, forget Klipsch and try the Spatial Audio M5 Sapphire. Even their predecessors, the M4 Turbos, were far more refined than any Klipsch speaker I've heard. If you want Klipsch dynamics without sacrificing refinement, that's the route to go. This is coming from a Heresy III owner.

Tubes:  I see some talk about Dared. I think that is about 1200.  Actually there are quite a few on Amazon but it's up to you if that's where you want to buy it.  I also looked at the Carver which starts at 75W and is $2750.  Carver has a 5 year warranty on the tubes.  You won't see many reviews of Carver because he made the magazines mad sometime ago.  I just upgraded from a professional amp that my friend had modded to a Schiit Aegir and I can't get over the difference.  It was $800 and is solid state Class A at 20W.  it plays plenty loud with Klipsch!!  Has great detail, mid bass and soundstaging.  I have never owned tubes.

what is a good inexpensive tube amp to pair with the Klipsch Heritage series?

Klipschorns if you have the $$ and the room.

Forte III for everyone else..........

I ordered a set of Cornscala style "B" this week.  I am buying these without listening!!  I am not too worried about it.  This is only the 4th set of speakers I have ever owned and I think these may be the last. 
Also,  I appreciate the thoughtful and informative info I was given by all who took the time to help me.  It gave me a good first impression of the forum. 

As far as the rest of my system goes, I feel I have it really dialed in.  Even with my 20 yr old RF3 the imaging, dynamics and sound are well above average.  I can't wait to go to the next level.

I think you are making the right choice to stick with Klipsch and try their better offerings - especially since you are running a low-watt amp. The "Heritage" series is a different league and the reason the Klipsch name is still around - it is their audiophile class and the rest are more consumer/big box/retail class. But, there are really two Heritage classes: the actual "Heritage" series that is the recent reissue of some of their classic designs and then there is more of the dictionary definition--buying one of the original models on the used market (I’ll refer to these as "used").

I own a pair of used Chorus II (there isn’t a Heritage reissue). They are the Forte’s bigger brother and replaced the Cornwall before they brought the Cornwall back as Heritage. Basically looks the same as a Forte, but taller/wider and has a 15" woofer on the front and a 15" radiator on the back and a larger midrange horn. Since The Chorus is essentially a Cornwall in a different box, the Forte's were chosen for the Heritage series reissues because the smaller size filled a different niche. I love my Chorus IIs though. Because they are 30 years old, I recently replaced the crossover with a Crites (capacitors start to go bad after 20+ years), along with an upgraded Crites tweeter (critesspeakers.com has upgrades and replacements for ALL used Klipsch worth keeping.) The rest of the speaker will last forever - they were built that way back then before home audio & video became a replaceable/consumable. The crossover replacement and tweeter upgrade were both very easy DIY jobs that took about an hour and can be done by anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver.

I also just listened to the new Cornwall IV at the Rocky Mtn. Audio Show last month and thought they were great. If money were no concern, I’d consider the Cornwall IV. But, honestly, I didn’t notice a major difference from my Chorus II and I’m not getting rid of them until I have a place large enough for some K-horns - and I’ll probably get a used pair when I do since my experience with my Chorus II has been so good. Between the speakers and the upgrades, I paid $1500. A new pair of Cornwall IV are $6000; Forte III are $4000/pair. If that price difference doesn’t matter to you - go new. If it does, you aren’t missing much - if anything - by buying a used pair of older Klipsch.

I had only solid state amps when I first bought them and eventually was tempted by all the recommendations for pairing Klipsch with a tube amp, so I bought a tube amp. I was wary of going tube and I really didn’t want to buy in to the "old" technology. But, it sounded amazing! I couldn’t believe it because I thought I liked my speakers before, but the tube really shows off the Klipsch horn drivers. No matter what amp you use, you’ll learn quick that source quality is important because you hear everything and bad recordings start to sound worse than before. No low-res mp3s or streaming with these and even bad studio work is noticeable. Overall, I think you’ll be very happy by upgrading your Klipsch.

There is something about that Klipsch sound. It just takes you there and captivates you to stay and listen! Own Klipsch Forte iii and RP-160m. LLK. 

" Did you know there is a Klipsch forum where good deals are posted?
Those guys don't know other brands exist. You can tag along on the
annual pilgrimage to Arkansas to pay your respects. Those folks eat, live, breathe and expel Klipsch products and tweaks. "
 Sure is and the garage sale section and the alerts section have goodies at times. Local searches on Craigslist and Letgo and Facebook Market place also have items for sale often
  We do know other brands exist and many of us have gone through a ton of them and we keep coming back to Klipsch. After a while we don't bother trying to fool with other gear because it has been disappointing too many times. You are also not going to find $45,000 speaker cable nonsense there either which is nice. Lots of hands on serious audiophiles there who can take you deeper into the science of good sound reproduction no talk about things like cable cookers and other equally silly junk unless it is ridicule. DIY forum can also help out on those legacy repair and parts problems.

  The community is one of the great things about Klipsch and you can get advice and parts to repair speakers 50 and 60 years old and some models are still in production after that much time. The only other company that comes close to supporting legacy speakers is Great Plains Audio which still produces parts for Altec speakers. The Altec JBL forum is the second biggest biggest speaker forum I know of.

Another possibility is the CF-4, but it has to be Version 1 or possibly Version 2, and they are of course hard to find. What ultimately stopped me was not the rarity but the difficulty of replacing something on the speaker if a part went bad.

I ultimately bought the KLF-30, if you read up people have also modified them with newer/upgraded parts, so if you get originals there is still a path to go on if something went bad.

I would have gone with the Jamo Concert 11 speakers, but the guy was out in Utah and I was in Florida, another guy had Concert 11s with the center, another good deal and I had worked out the shipping, told him I was going to buy them as soon as I arranged shipping, and then he goes and sells the center, which is a relatively small percentage of the entire deal I was working on, so the deal was no longer good. I was literally about 90 minutes from getting them, I had gotten delayed getting home. I think the Concert 11s are much better than the smaller Concert 9s, but of course they’re hard to find and hard to ship. The Jamo speakers also are 4Ω instead of 8Ω, and ultimately I didn't know how that would work with a limited power tube amp.  

I too had also looked into the Tekton speakers, theoretically they sound very interesting, but ultimately it seemed too big of a gamble, as some say they’re the ultimate and others say lesser of the speakers and the person making them. So I never truly found out about them.

The only reason I ended up with the KLF-30 set was because I found a good guy on uship who was local here in Florida who was coming back from the west coast.

I bought a pair of Forte 3's in June and I love them paired with my P.S. Audio Stellar S300 amp. I like the sound so much I am trading up to the Cornwall 4 for an even fuller sound. My dealer is giving me full trade in credit.

Another vote for the Forte IIIs!

Save some $$ and try a pair of Klipsch Quartets like a smaller Forte

My deceased audio expert always put better parts in all my electronics and built me a crossover so I know first hand what good parts are.  It does baffle me why a manufacturer will save pennies on parts.  electrolytics vs film for example.  thanks

I have owned many a Klipsch speakers the K horns are on my short list.
the inherent flaw of not just a Klipsch but 80% of speakers out there is they use 
what I would call substandard Xover parts ,which is the heart of all Loudspeakers 
on average many use Solen rated a 6 out of a possible 15  Duelund casthas been the standard Rated 15  bit very costly$$ and Huge.
there are cerebral much less expensive alternatives though ,Path audio the best Resistors Available  for Loudspeakers. Getting back to Klipsch Quality Vacuum tubes somewhere in audio chain is a big plus , also klipsch Cheap connectors low grade brass. Put a Good connector on there that is Copper based.  This will take away any brightness or non musical sounds and at least a  minimum of 10-15% increase in musicality across the board. I have been modding speakers for 20 years now . I had $15k ML stats
and they had Solen caps and cheaper evo Mundorf caps . In fact their $80k
flagship had similar parts.i wrote to them No response , maggi also cement junk
cement resistors and non name caps . The owner of Harbeth hung up on me 
using those maroon jelly caps from Taiwan , when in fact you are in the UK 
Clarity capacitors were right down the road for a lousy $1-200  sacrifice tons of potential fidelity. It is just uncalled for in my book ,electronics same thing.
on average less then 25% of the cost actually goes into the product this is the average,the rest markup and overhead. Having owned a Audiostore ,
and being into Audio over 40 years . Iniw inspect everythung  I buy and upgrade it to a much higher standard ,with electronics for more technical things I have 
Top technician friends . If you plan on keeping it for a long while then consid
fixing the weak link.  It can still sound very respectable with the mods but I am just saying there is a Lot of potential there just waiting to be discovered 
after 20 years and working with the best I have learned how to save $1000s 
just by buying a high quality used product and modding it .
thst is how Dan Modwright made his reputation ,hire great designers and put in top grade parts in the most essential areas. Best of Luck.

If you're referring to the height of the Heresy cabinet when you use the word "shortness", they are designed to be on the floor.  They are on risers that are tilted up, so yes, they can create a great soundstage.  I tried mine out in my main system recently after damping the horns and they created a more immersive sound stage than my Harbeth Super HL5 Plus.  They aren't in the same league as the Harbeths in many other important ways, but don't fall short by a huge margin either.

Thanks again.  I do have the subs and nice crossover so it sounds like Heresy would work.  I haven't got past the "shortness" yet.  Is the sound staging still realistic?  I did some reading about room treatments  and am still figuring it out.  The room is 12X20.  Ceiling is 7 ft but have the fiber, suspended ceiling, rectangles.  It is in the basement and have carpet over concrete floor.  Some walls were made out of 1/4" plywood for some reason and vibrates like a drum head at high volumes!!

Ok, great post. I've owned Heresy III's and the Forte III's and loved them both, personal situation forced me to sell both. If and when I go back to Klipsch it will be from the Heritage series for sure, they are a different breed than the rest of the Klipsch lines. I feel the Heritage series are about music reproduction more so than home theater use. I felt the Forte III's may have been the best speaker I ever owned and that covers a lot of territory. That being said, I now have Tekton M-Lores that I bought from an audiophile friend. They are fine speakers however I am not as wowed as many of the reviewers are. I was expecting the "reach out and grab you" sound I read about and I do not get that. Balanced and pleasant, yes. To my ears they do not have the "liveness" I got from the Forte III's or Heresy III's. I thought the Heresy III's were just great and I did not feel the need for a sub either. What bass they do posses is tight and tuneful. I'd like to move up the Tekton line sometime to maybe the Lore Reference and see what the improvements result in. You are talking dome tweeters vs. horns which will always result in a stark contrast to me. Enjoy the journey. 

The RP600M are cracking standmounts for the money. Superb value. Really great for parties too, even better if paired with a decent sub. John Darko just did a review on the Forte III. He bought a pair and loves ‘em. Not the last word in refinement but dynamic and ‘alive’ for R&B, Rock, Techno etc. I know what he means. But for $500-$600, the RP600M rocks.

Depending on your budget and room size, I would definitely listen to the Heresy, Forte, and Cornwall. The Heresy is a good start. However, after listening to the Forte III, and also comparing to other brands such as the Tannoy Legacy Cheviot, I found the Forte to be a remarquable loudspeaker and an excellent compromise regarding sound quality and cabinet size. I think it is a very good choice for mid size to large room. The Cornwall is certainly another one to try but it is huge, I did not have a chance to hear it.

Loved LaScalas with a 2A3,300B or SE EL84 amp. That was in a large ish living room.

Dale,

Did you know there is a Klipsch forum where good deals are posted?
Those guys don't know other brands exist. You can tag along on the
annual pilgrimage to Arkansas to pay your respects. Those folks eat, live, breathe and expel Klipsch products and tweaks.

On to your question: No room treatments you say? Buy nothing
until you address that. DIY for $300 can do the job pretty well.

Once the room sounds as good as it likely can then see how the current speakers sound. Still edgy? If so you may want to lose the horns and find a high efficiency replacement. Anything rated at 94 or higher will work. Your budget seems unclear but look for some lightly used 15" dual concentric Tannoys if you want lose the harshness. 15" Tannoys have been in production for 60 years so you should find a decent pair.

Forte 3’s all the way. Great speakers. 

" BTW, the Heresy IVs will be incredible, imo.........but, if you have the room, and budget, the CW IV will be the finest, of all that were mentioned. "  Best by far unless you move up to (guessing at this) KHorns which we did not hear or Jubilees which we did hear..
I had a chance to listen to the Cornwall IV and the new Forte and Heresy this past weekend at the Klipsch factory sound room and the Heresy is now rear ported and much better sounding. The Forte shows improvement also but the real shocker was the Cornwall IV. I have never been a fan of Cornwalls but this new one is a giant leap forward and the boomy big box sound the old ones had to me is gone. Great presence and very musical. You can save a bunch of money if you are patient and get a set of Chorus speakers which are also great and my favorite Heritage speaker until i heard the new Cornwall. The Chorus will need to be recapped and an upgrade to a MAHL tweeter also makes a big difference.

If you can’t or don’t want to work on used speakers the Cornwall is MUCH better than the Forte and Heresy now.
There was also a set of new Jubilees there and while they are much bigger and not pretty they were in another league way above the other three. The Jubes and Cornwalls for most people won’t require subs and probably the same is true for the Forte. As you can tell by my comments though the Forte impressed me the least of the four sets we heard. I am kind of leaning towards the new Heresy + sub and if you go that route perhaps good used would work. I don’t know your budget.
We also heard the recent production Heresy and Forte and Cornwalls and all the new ones have improved though the Forte improved the least.
Finally for my taste if you have the room bigger is better and the Klipsch cinema speakers for 200 seat venues and up are spectacular and you have a chance to hear those do so. Those big speakers sound better at volumes so low you can barely hear them to ear splitting.

Here's another vote for the Forte III's

Go for heresy series , the only thing they need was a pairs of subs and you be good ! 

All good !

MrD, I meant to say Legend series, not Heritage. My bad.

I did say the Heritage line has better constructed cabinets.

The panels on my KLF-30s were loose and rattled at high volumes. I used some Titebond III to seal them up. I recently put some Dynamat on the tweeter and mid horns in my Heresy I speakers and that improved sound quality.